Chapter 13 – Buckling of Columns

Failure mode of column =

buckling (i.e. not stress)
At Pcr, stress less than yield
strength!
 At Pcr, column is When F is removed, stays
Load P can be on verge of being buckled. If P reduced to
increased until unstable so small below Pcr will straighten
failure occurs by lateral force, F out, if P increased beyond
yield or fracture will cause column Pcr will increase lateral
to buckle. deflection
Derivation of Euler’s Equation:

d 2
EI 2  M   P
dx

d 2  P 
2
    0
dx  EI 

Homogeneous, second order,

linear DE with constant
coefficients.
 Solution to DE is:

 P   P  C1 and C2 = constants of integration.


  C1 sin  x   C2 cos
 x  =0 at x=0 so C2=0.
 EI   EI 

Which leaves:

 P 
C1 sin x 
 EI 

 P   P 
sin  x   0 Which is satisfied if:  
 EI L   n
 EI   

n 2 2 EI
P 2
n  1, 2, 3, .......... Smallest
L value of P??
 2
 EI
PCR  2 Euler’s Equation

L
PCR = critical or maximum axial load on the column just before it begins
to buckle.
E = modulus of elasticity for the material
I = least moment of inertia of the column’s cross-section
L = unsupported length of the column, whose ends are pinned
 2
note, I  Ar
2
 E
 CR 
L / r 2
Examples: